Friday, July 17, 2009

Is there such a thing as right and wrong? That may sound like a silly question until you realize how often people, who point out that something is wrong, are accused of being judgmental. The accusation goes something like this: Since none of us has the right to determine what is right or wrong, it is wrong for you to judge someone else’s behavior. They do not seem to notice that in order to make such a statement, they had to make a judgment as well. - Lets face it, we all make judgments about what is right or wrong. The question is: on what basis do we make those judgments? If we each make up the rules about what is right and wrong, then we are going to have a lot of disagreements. Imagine if we were to play a game of checkers, and each player could change the rules whenever he decided. It would be complete chaos and soon no one would want to play anymore. - I fear our country has come to such a place when it comes to debates on morality. Once the Bible has been rejected there is no firm basis for where to go on matters of right and wrong. Abortion and gay marriage are just a couple of the issues that come up. It is sad to say that even some churches have abandoned the Bible on such issues as to not seem judgmental. Where will this lead? If we cannot let God speak through His Word, how do we determine if anything is right or wrong? -What if you think stealing is wrong, but you have something that your neighbor wants? What if your neighbor says he does not see anything wrong with him taking it, and that he is offended that you would judge him? Of course you would say that you have the law on your side, and that you would call the police. But what would happen if the authorities decided that there would no longer be laws against stealing? That would then make stealing legal, but would it make it right? Of course not. Stealing is wrong, whether it is made legal or not. -Aren’t we judging when we say stealing is wrong? Of course we are. We are judging based on the clear teaching of right and wrong found in the Bible. The 8th Command says, “Thou shalt not steal.” Further it is made clear in Ephesians 4:28, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” -When we make laws against stealing, we are legislating morality. Imagine if morality were not allowed into any legal decision. In effect, we would then be legislating a lack of morality. Only the most depraved would advocate such a move. Still we are back to the same dilemma. Who gets to decide what is moral? Whether those decisions take place in the government, the church, or the home, who decides? -It would be tempting to say that regardless of what the government or even the church decides, we still get to determine the morality in our homes. Let me state it differently, you get to determine how you behave in your homes, but that does not necessarily make it moral no matter what your belief. True morality- the ideas of what is right and wrong- comes not from our beliefs, not from our law, not even from whether or not a church advocates something. True morality comes from God. -“But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.” Acts 4:19“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Q: When we die, if we are spirits in Heaven, how will we recognize others? According to II Cor. 5:1-8, it seems a case could be made for an intermediate body, before our resurrection body. Can you shed any light on this?

A: You are correct in understanding that the new body is not given until the resurrection of the dead, thus it is natural to ask what happens between our death and our resurrection. Much of what happens during this time period is a mystery. Some suggest that we will sleep during this time and have no conscious awareness of any events. The events of Luke 16:22-31 tell what happened to an unsaved rich man and to a man named Lazarus. -Lazarus went to a place called the bosom of Abraham, and the rich man went to the place of torments in hell. Although these places are near to each other- near enough that they can see each other- they cannot go back and forth, because of a great gulf between. This passage provides more detail about the intermediate state than others. I find it interesting to note that the rich man was able to see both Abraham and Lazarus. This would suggest that he could either see their bodies or else recognize their spirits. Perhaps even more intriguing is that the rich man wanted Lazarus to use his finger to dip water on his tongue. Tongues and fingers are body parts, suggesting some sort of body. -2 Corinthians 5:1-8 KJV 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. - Notice how vs. 1 speaks of a tabernacle being dissolved and a house put in its place. A tabernacle could be taken down and put back up quite quickly, a house was more permanent. The house of vs. 1, would be eternal/forever in the heavens. Our bodies now are temporary, but our resurrection bodies will be forever. -Though this passage gives us hope for our final bodies, it is not clear enough about what is happening during the intermediate state. Vs 3 speaks of being clothed with a body, but based on the context, that likely refers to the body we will have for the eternal state. Ultimately, we have very little information about the bodies of those in that intermediate state. We know very little about what happens during that time. Although it seems that men can see each other, there is no indication that they can actually see us here on earth. On the other hand, we are not told that they cannot. -The II Cor 5, passage show, however, that we will have bodies during the eternal state. How recognizable we will be then is questionable, for remember that we will be as the angels. (Matt. 22:30). -I do find it interesting that although Abraham was from a different time in history than the rich man, he still recognized him. Perhaps God will just give us the insight.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The following question came after a question box was placed in the back of the church. I plan to post other questions and answers as well.

Q: How do we reconcile election, for example Rom. 8:30, Eph. 1:5, with verses such as II Peter 3:9 and John 12:32?-A: The balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility has been a perplexing challenge for many a theologian. J.I Packer in his book Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, calls this challenge an antinomy, which he describes as an “appearance” of a contradiction between conclusions which seem equally logical, reasonable, or necessary (18).

William Pettingill writes: There is no doubt that God’s absolute sovereignty is taught, and clearly taught, in the Word of God, and just as clearly is man’s responsibility also taught in the Word. Our difficulty comes when we seek to “harmonize” these two doctrines. Such a task seems to be beyond the power of the human mind. Let us believe all that God has said on the subject and be content to wait for further light as to the harmony between these things. We may depend upon it “the Judge of all the earth” will “do right.” Let us preach to men as if everything depended upon them, and then let us pray to God for them as if everything depended upon God. (Bible Questions Answered, 208) - Let us now consider the afore mentioned verses:

Romans 8:30 KJV 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Ephesians 1:5 KJV 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,-Predestined means predetermined. That fact that God has decided to do certain things and that He will in fact do them should surprise no one. Eph. 1:5 clearly tells us that He determined that believers would be adopted by Christ. Notice the verse that comes right before Rom 8:30:

Romans 8:29 KJV 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

This tells us that not only did God determine that certain things would happen, but that He based His determination on what He knew would happen- His foreknowledge.

1 Peter 1:2 KJV 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

We should be aware that there is a debate about whether or not knowing what would happen is determining what would happen. That is often at the core of the whole election debate. Election is clearly taught in scripture, but the big question is if it is based on what God knew man would do or if it is based on what God has decided that man would do. -I must be quick to remind us that God is all powerful and that whatever He does is just. We also recognize that He allows man to do evil. Consider as well how often God gave “if then” promises. (If you will do this, then I will do that). I like to refer to such things as man’s limited freewill. Man does not have total freedom to do whatever he wants to. However, God often allows or permits us to act. We must also realize that God has the power to stop us at any time. That is why we are limited. We are not robots programmed by God, nor do we have freedom to do whatever we want to do. -Let us also consider the other verses:

2 Peter 3:9 KJV 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

John 12:32 KJV 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.- I believe that II Peter 3:9 is teaching that within man’s limited freewill there is an offer of salvation to all, not just certain elect. We must also be aware that God knows that some will never accept that offer. He is all knowing and is never taken by surprise. That He would harden those that He already knows would reject Him no matter what, and use them for His specific purposes should not surprise us. I am not convinced, however, that God never interferes in such matters of drawing men to Himself or else I would be slow to pray for His power to influence a lost soul. -John 12:32 clearly teaches that He does draw men to Himself- all men. That He might make that drawing irresistible to some is His right and even my prayer. With that in mind, we must be quick to point out that without His drawing, no one would get saved. John 6:44 KJV 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.-Regardless of how we interpret election, may we praise God for His justice and control over everything. How much freedom He gives man will not be known this side of eternity. I pray that He limits my freedom when it comes to sin so that I might better glorify Him. I also pray that He limit’s the freedom of my unsaved neighbor to reject Him so that he as well might glorify Him.